Lauren Jackson

Jackson grew up with basketball all around her. Her father, Gary, and her mother, Maree, both played for Australia’s national teams. Jackson followed suit, playing basketball for the first time at just 4 years old, and at 16, she became the youngest player ever to be selected to the Australian women’s national basketball team. Now she's looking to win her first gold medal in the Olympics after settling for silver in each of her previous three trips. Jackson was the second-leading scorer at the 2008 Beijing Games with 17.3 points per game and ranked fourth in rebounding (8.6). She led the tournament in both categories in 2004, averaging 22.9 points and 10.0 boards, and was Australia's top scorer and rebounder as a 19-year-old in 2000. The three-time WNBA MVP hasn't played for the Seattle Storm this season while preparing with the Australian national team for London. Jackson was selected first overall by the Storm in the 2001 draft and earned the first of her eight All-Star appearances as a rookie. Her best season was 2007 as she averaged career highs of 23.8 points and 9.7 rebounds, was named Defensive Player of the Year and tied the league's single-game scoring record with 47 points. Selected to the All-WNBA first team seven times, Jackson has averaged 19.2 points and 7.8 rebounds in her pro career and has led Seattle to a pair of championships.